Just back from Colorado, where we missed most of the weekend news but heard something about Donald Trump having been caught engaging in “locker-room banter.” Hunh. I’d have to hear it to believe it.
…But, like I was saying, Colorado. Wow! It never disappoints. We took the overnight train — the Southwest Chief — to and from Trinidad, in southern Colorado, where our hosts, Kaler and Eileen Bole, also of Kansas City, picked us up and took us to their “little cabin in the woods.”
It was a very active five days, and while the fluttering, golden leaves of the “quaking aspens” are always enchanting, we took in a lot more. Lemme show you…
Driving to the cabin, which is southwest of Pueblo, a homecoming parade in the town of Rye brought traffic to a halt. One of the featured “floats” was a chariot drawn by a team of goats.
Kaler and I were so thrilled to be in the area for homecoming that we attended the first half of the Rye-Lake County football game that night. (We left after the homecoming king and queen candidates were introduced at halftime and with the Rye Thunderbolts leading 32-0.)
We also went to a place called Music Meadows Ranch, which offers customers stays of several nights, along with the opportunity to ride, fish, hike or just relax.
The four of us went just for lunch — steaks from grass-fed cattle and prepared by Elin, owner of Music Meadows. After lunch, Elin got in her ATV and rounded up about a dozen riding horses she keeps on the 4,000-acre ranch.
That’s Elin…Note the iPhone affixed to the right side of her cowgirl belt.
A view from behind Elin’s barns, toward the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. (The house with the green roof is where paying guests stay.)
Eileen and Kaler, Patty and I, at “the ranch house.”
This is back at Aspen Acres, the “development” where Kaler and Eileen and a score or so of other people have cabins.
At the cabin, everything slows down…
On Tuesday, our last day of vacation, we went to Taos in northern New Mexico. This is one wing of Taos Plaza, an excellent shopping district.
We had a great lunch — tacos, enchiladas, chile relleno and taco salad — at a restaurant called Doc Martin’s, which is part of the Taos Inn, established in 1936.
Finally, it was back to Trinidad, just north of the New Mexico border. Legalized marijuana stores, located throughout Colorado, have been an economic boon not just for the state but the cities where they’re located. Trinidad has experienced significant development in recent years, thanks partly to taxes paid by stores like Tri Canna.
At dusk, it was all aboard the Southwest Chief, which runs daily from Chicago to Los Angeles and back.
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
Great pictures, Jim. They will bring back memories to anyone who’s been out in those parts. Remember when Forbes magazine was offering 40-acre unimproved spreads for $25,000? Sounded like a bargain, except there was no water or electricity, and the nearest town for provisions was 25 miles away. Beautiful views, though.
Very interesting you should bring up the unsuccessful Forbes development, Don…Yesterday we went by that area, and our hosts pointed out the many roads that had been built on the mountain sides — and now going essentially nowhere.
You are walking in the footsteps of KC Star great, Alvin Scott McCoy…had a cabin near Ouray…(born July 14, 1903) was an American journalist of The Kansas City Star who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1954 for local reporting and an outstanding work published the previous year about a series of articles that drove C. Wesley Roberts to resign his RNC chairmanship.
Hi, I live in Forbes Park. The lots were $5,000 each back in the 70’s at $60 a month. I often say to my wife we should have bought one back then, but she reminds me that we were raising kids and did not have $60 a month!
Forbes sold out many years ago, and the land is now owned by all of us land owners.
There are many of us living here with a lot of Summer Texans. We have water – cell phones, high speed internet, Fed ex, Satelite T.V. etc.
I have ridden the SW Chief back to KC to visit several times.
Great to hear from you way out in Forbes Park, Dennis…After Don Hoffmann made his comment, I should have said more precisely where the development is.
So, this from Wikipedia:
“Forbes Park is a gated community in the historic San Luis Valley of Colorado about 13 miles east of Fort Garland and 130 miles southwest of Colorado Springs.”
…From your first-hand account, I was off base saying those roads that were cut into the mountain side are “essentially going nowhere.” It sounds like a good situation overall, and, obviously, you can’t beat the scenery and topography.
Thanks again for writing…Come back and visit again soon!
Nice little break for you guys. Love northern NM, though our friends reside in the Chama area.